M.U.M. Professor Ken West
Exhibits Landscape Photographs
at National Center for
Nature Photography

“The Sweet Light,” a solo exhibit of 33 landscape and nature photographs by M.U.M. professor Ken West, opened on January 10 at the National Center for Nature Photography (NCNP) at Secor Metropark, Ohio. The NCNP hosts the only gallery in America solely devoted to nature and landscape photography and has presented the work of some of the country’s best-known nature and landscape photographers. Mr. West has also been invited to teach a workshop on high dynamic range (HDR) photography at the center.

A fourth-generation photographer, Mr. West learned about photography as a child from his father and grandfather and has worked professionally in both photography and graphic arts. He served as director of M.U.M.’s Press and Video departments and currently acts as photographer for the University’s various brochures and publications , such as The University Report and The Review, as well as its website.

Professor West, who received his MBA from Maharishi International University in 1988 and was the University’s Chief Financial Officer for 8 years, has been teaching business classes for 15 years and digital photography classes for 3 years at the University. “I really enjoy teaching photography and seeing how students express their own creativity;” Mr. West says, “there is such an incredible diversity.”

“Mr. West is an expert in his media,” says Rosemary Lucente, who took Mr. West’s digital photography class last September. “I enjoyed learning from him because he teaches from his experience.”

Most of Mr. West’s photographs show the forests, meadows, and wetlands along the Jefferson County Trail System. “I like early morning or late afternoon light when the sun is low,” he says. “The backlighting creates interesting shadows and textures. While walking on the trails I experience the silence and organizing power of nature and try to record it with my camera.”

Having shown his work at several local galleries, Mr. West is exhibiting outside Iowa for the first time. He hopes to display this new collection in Fairfield in the near future.